1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a conveyor provided with a frame and with carriers guided by guide means, which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor by driving means, whereby at least some of the carriers support sliding pieces, which can be moved with respect to the respective carriers by control means, in a direction transversely to the intended direction of movement of the carriers during operation, so as to move objects to be transported with the conveyor during operation.
2. Discussion of the Background
Conveyors of this kind are for example known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,247, FR-A-2,388,737 and GB-A-2,057,381.
These conveyors are intended to move objects which are supplied in one or more supply stations to destination stations, which generally comprise discharge means, such as conveyor belts, chutes or the like, which are disposed near one side of the conveyor. The objects are usually provided with codes, which are read and processed in an electronic control device, by means of which the sliding pieces are moved with respect to the carriers at desired points of time, in such a manner that each object is delivered from the conveyor to a desired destination station in the respective destination station.
With these devices the objects to be transported are directly supported on the carriers and they are pushed off the carriers near a selected destination station by means of the sliding pieces, whereby the sliding pieces in question engage the sides of the objects. In particular with the high conveying velocities that are aimed at these known devices are generally not suitable for moving for example small, light objects, round objects and the like, since these objects usually move from the position relative to the carriers in which they were placed onto the conveyor while being moved by means of the conveyor, and consequently will not be pushed off the conveyor by the sliding pieces in the correct destination station.
Furthermore a device for treating foodstuffs is known from NL-A-8802813, which device is provided with a conveyor belt built up of a plurality of plate-shaped parts, which are pivotally interconnected by means of pivot pins extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt.
Recesses for receiving foodstuffs to be treated are provided in said plate-shaped parts in side-by-side relationship. Furthermore slides are provided under said plate-shaped parts, which can be moved parallel to said pivot pins at desired places, between a position in which the slides close the openings in the plate-shaped parts and a position in which the slides release the openings in the plate-shaped parts, so that the products present in the openings can fall into containers disposed under the conveyor belt. Said containers are moved under the conveyor belt, transversely to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt, in a first station, then move some distance along with the conveyor belt in order to receive the objects to be introduced into the containers, after which the containers are moved from their position under the conveyor belt again, transversely to the direction of displacement of the conveyor. This device has a complicated construction, as a result of which it is unsuitable for delivering a selected object in a selected destination station of a number of destination stations arranged one behind the other, seen in the direction of displacement of the conveyor.